During the first half of the year, reported crimes decreased by about 6 percent in Collier County compared with the same period last year, the Sheriff's Office announced Monday.

The number of reported homicides, sexual assaults, robberies, aggravated assaults and larcenies dropped, while burglaries and motor vehicle thefts increased. In those seven categories, 2,888 crimes were reported during the first six months of this year, compared with 3,072 last year.

Sheriff Kevin Rambosk attributed the decline in crime to better community policing and the implementation of Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety (DDACTS), which uses mapping to pinpoint areas prone to crime and crashes.

The increase in motor vehicle thefts and burglaries likely has roots in the drug trade, Rambosk said.

"When they can't get the drugs anymore to resell, they look for alternative ways to make money," he said. "Traditionally, there's a strong link between drugs and crime."

Rambosk said he is looking to increase the number of community safety teams, a neighborhood-watch type program that works with law enforcement.

"Still the most effective and successful method of preventing crime is someone seeing something, getting the information and letting us get in there and deal with it," Rambosk said.